Camp stoves



June 13, 1961 J. H. KUHN CAMP STOVES Filed Oct. 17, 1958 INVENTOR. JOHN H. KuHN flrromvf United States Patent 2,988,082 CAMP STOVES John H. Kuhn, Wenatchee, Wash. (232 Queen Anne Ave. N., Apt. 105, Seattle, Wash.) Filed Oct. 17, 1958, Ser. No. 767,963 2 Claims. (Cl. 126-25) This invention relates to that class of articles generally referred to as camp stoves. More particularly it has reference to a camp stove or outside cooking stove that is readily collapsible from its normal erected position of use to a compact condition for storage or transportation.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a collapsible camp stove comprising top, sidewall and shelf forming sections that are permanently hinged together to provide for their easy adjustment from positions of use collapsed relationship, and which sections also are designed for interfitted connections that give rigidity to the structure when erected for use.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a camp stove of the above stated character which includes a one piece back wall, a top and opposite sides, and an inside shelf that can be collapsed flatly against the back wall of the assembly of parts and then completely enclosed by the top and side sections when they are collapsed.

Yet another object is to adjust the top of the stove for the application of a grill and gas burner thereto.

Further objects and advantages of the invention reside in the details of construction and combination of the various parts that permits their being collapsed to a compact condition or relationship for storage or carrying and which permits their being interfitted and interlocked for rigidity when erected for use.

In accomplishing the above mentioned and other objects of the invention, I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present camp stove as erected for use.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the camp stove when collapsed for storage or transportation; certain parts being broken away and some shown in cross-section for explanatory purposes.

FIG. 3 is a cross-section of the stove taken in the vertical plane of line 3-3 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional detail of interfitted parts of the top and a sidewall.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

The present outdoor cooking stove is preferably fabricated from suitable sheet-metal sections or plates. It comprises a flat, rectangular back wall that, in FIG. 1, is shown to be vertically disposed and from which, at its opposite vertical edges, opposite sidewall forming sections 11 and 11' are forwardly turned at right angles to the backwall. At the top edge of the backwall, a flat, horizontal top or shelf forming section 12 is forwardly turned. The parts 11-41 and 12 are of equal width and they are welded or otherwise permanently joined together at adjacent end edges, as at 13 in FIG. 1, to give rigidity and strength thereto.

Hinged to the forward vertical edges of the parts 11 and 11 are opposite sidewall sections 14-14; the hinges, as designated at 15, being of piano hinge type. These opposite sidewall sections are of the same height as the back wall section 10 and to provide for the collapsing of the stove, they are adapted to be swung inwardly and toward each other to engage against the forward edge of the top wall section. When in this closed or collapsed position, their vertical free edges overlap each other, as will be understood by reference to FIG. 2.

Patented June 13, 1961 "Ice The stove also has a flat top forming section 18, formed along its rear edge with a downwardly and rearwardly inclined flange '18. This flange is attached at its lower edge by a piano hinge connection 19 seen in FIG. 3, to the lower edge of a downwardly directed flange 20 formed across the forward edge of the top or shelf forming section 12, thus to permit the top section 18 to be swung downwardly from the horizontal position of FIG. 1 to a downwardly depending position in which it is shown in FIG. 2. When in the horizontal position of use, the top section 18 is at the same horizontal level as the shelf section 12.

It is shown in FIG. 3 that the flange 20 at the forward edge of shelf 12 is folded rearwardly and flatly against the underside of shelf 12 and is then extended directly downward. I This formation gives additional rigidity to the stove structure and provided adequate support for the forward edge of shelf 12.

Provision has been made for an interlocking and supporting connection for the top section 18 with the top edges of the sidewall panels 14 and 14'. To provide for this interlock, the wall panels 14-14' are formed across their top edges, with inturned flanges 24 and the metal at the opposite side edges of the horizontal top section 18 provides flanges 25 that are bent downwardly and inwardly, and then outwardly as in FIG. 4, to provide open channels 26 for the snug reception of the flanges 24 as has been shown in FIGS. 1 and 4.

Contained with this box-like stove structure is the horizontal inside shelf comprising a rearward section 30 that is hinged to the back Wall as at 32 for upward folding. Hinged to the forward edge of the section 30 is a relatively wide forward section 30'. This hinge, shown at 33, provides for downward folding of the part 30.

It has been shown in FIG. 3 that the rearward shelf section 30 extends the full width of the structure as measured between the wall sections 11-11, and has a width, in a front to rear direction, equal to the width of parts 11--11. The shelf section 30 is of the same width cross-wise of the structure as section 30 and has a width substantially equal to the side sections 1414, in a front to rear direction, as has been shown in FIG. 3. At its forward edge the section 30 is formed with a down-turned flange 30 to give it rigidity and adequate supporting strength. When this shelf is in its position of use, it is in the horizontal position in which it is shown in FIG. 3; being supported in that position by the hinge connection 33 at the forward edge of part 30, and by brackets 3434 that are fixed to the inside of the side wall sections 1414 near their swinging edges.

When the parts are in the erected positions of use as in FIG. 1, locking pins 40, as shown in FIG. 4 are applied through registering openings in the flanged interfitted edge portions 25 and 24 of the top 18 and sidewalls and locking pins 41 are similarly applied through registering openings in the brackets 34 and overlying parts of the shelf section 30'.

In the present instance, I have shown the top section 18 to be formed at one side with a rectangular opening and equipped along front and back sides of this opening, on its underside, with flanges 52--52 by and between which a grill 53 is removably suspended. This grill is less in depth than the width of shelf 12 so that, when the top 18 is swung downwardly to housed position, as in FIG. 2, it will not interfere.

Also, I have shown the top 18 to be formed at one side with a circular opening 55 in which a gas burner 56 is located and removably supported by means similar to that provided for support of the grill.

Assuming the parts to be so constructed and assembled, the stove may be erected or adjusted from the collapsed condition of FIG. 2 as follows: First, the two side sections 14-14 are swung to fully opened positions substantially at right angles to the wall sections 11- 11 to which they are hingedly attached. Then, the top 18 is swung upwardly to a horizontal position and while so held, the sidewalls 1414- are swung inwardly to interlock their top flanges 24 with the channeled side edges of of the top 18. Then the shelf 30 is swungupwardly and drawn forwardly to seat its forward'edge on brackets 34. Pins 40 are then applied through the interfitted parts of top and sides and pins 41 are likewise applied through the shelf and brackets 34 to secure the connection. The stove is thereby held rigidly in position for use.

To collapse the stove, the pins 40 are first withdrawn from the shelf section 30' and the shelf collapsed to the dotted line position in which it is shown in FIG. 3 and there secured by a pivoted latch 55 provided on'the back wall for that purpose as seen in FIG. 3.

The sidewalls 14-44 are then released and swung outwardly and clear of the top 18, which top is then swung down to position shown in FIG. 2. The two side sections 1414 are then swung inwardly to closed position at which their top edge flanges, overlap the forward edge of top section 12, where they are held by a latch plate 60 that is pivoted to the swinging edge of one section to engage over a pin 62 on the opposite section.

For convenience in carrying the stove when collapsed, a handle 65 is fastened to the center of shelf section 12.

Stoves of this kind may be made in various sizes and of suitable sheet material. They are practical in use, compact when collapsed and easily carried.

In the claims which terminate this specification, the backwall will he so designated; the side walls 11-11' will be referred to as the side sections; the hinged walls 14 and 14 will be referred to as the opposite wing sections and the top 18 will be referred to as the cooking top to differentiate it from the top wall 12.

What I claim as new is: p

1. A collapsible camp stove comprising a rectangular housing, said housing including a vertical back wall, a top wall and opposite sidewalls, said sidewalls being rigidly joined along their respective longitudinal edges to said back wall and rigidly joined at one end to said top wall,

4 said top wall being rigidly joined to the top edge of said back wall, a cooking top hinged along its back edge to the free edge of said top Wall, a cooking unit mounted in said cooking top, said top and sidewalls being of a width greater than the depth of the cooking unit when mounted in said cooking top whereby when the cooking top is swung downwardly and rearwardly it will be completely housed between said top, back and sidewalls, opposite side wing sections, equal in height to said sidewalls'and respectively hinged to the free longitudinal edges thereof and said side wing sections being adapted to releasably support said cooking top'and foldable over said cooking top when said cooking top is downwardly and rearwardlypositioned,

2. The camp stove of claim. 1 including a two piece horizontal shelf that extends between said opposite side;- walls, a first'piece of said shelf being hinged to said back wall and an extension piecehinged at its back edge to the forward edge of first shelf piece and brackets fixed to said wing sections for the support of the extension piece in a horizontal position, said shelf pieces being foldable about their connecting hinge whereby said pieces lie flatly together and against said back wall permitting the swinging of the cooking top to housed position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS U 497,275 Glasrnann ay 9; 1893 666,793 Benson Jan. 29, 1901 1,106,555 Goldberg et al Aug. 11, 1914 1,209,610 Muehleisen' Dec. 19, 1 916 1,404,808 Taylor Jan. 31, 1922 1,518,713 Trow Dec. 9, '1924 1,641,624 Chilingirian Sept. 6, 1927 1,856,025 Carstenbrook Apr. 26, 1932 1,919,898 Martin July 25, 1933 1,991,135 Brown Feb. 12, 1935 2,370,231 Collins "Feb. 27, 1945' FOREIGN PATENTS 210,251 Great Britain Jan. 31, 1924 

